Ian Poulter has made the staggering claim that US fans at the Ryder Cup should be tasered “between the eyes” just days before the showpiece golfing event kicks off.
Europe are preparing to take on the US at Bethpage Black and defend their title from Rome in 2023, and win in the US for the first time since 2012.
The event has already been disrupted due to poor weather, with the opening ceremony being pushed forward 24 hours to avoid the downpours.
Poulter, who has a great Ryder Cup record, called US fans “embarrassingly stupid” before going on to say: “I don’t even know where to start. There’s no… I mean, f*****g mashed potato and all that b******t that you hear is madness. ‘In the hole! Get in the hole!’ It’s a 600-yard par-5, you f*****g idiot, ”
Ian Poulter has blasted US fans for how they act during the Ryder Cup
|PA
“I actually just wanna borrow the taser from the security guard. Just to let one go per hole would be amazing. Imagine that. You get one taser per hole. That’d be awesome. How good, right between the eyes. Have it.
“It’s not heckling. It’s just complete and utter embarrassing stupidity. We don’t get that at the Open Championship. You don’t get it anywhere. Like, it’s only in America that the stupidness comes out. I mean, it’s just so annoying.”
Poulter, speaking to SportBible, then joked: “This is just a UK channel, right?”
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Tyrrell Hatton then replied: “I was gonna say, you’ve gone to town.”
Despite the outlandish comments from Poulter, it appears that fans online seem to agree with them.
One viewer commented: “I’m an American, and I’ve played and loved golf all my life, here and abroad, and Ian Poulter is 110% right about American golf fans who shout BS like Mashed Potatoes and Get in the hole, etc.
“It’s embarrassing to watch and listen to them do it. It’s not funny, it’s classless and very immature. European fans are generally speaking much much better.”
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Fans have agreed with Ian Poulter's comments on social media
| GETTYAnother added: “Every time they played on US soil, it is absolutely hard to watch because of the unruly American fans. They not only over celebrate (which is fine) but seemingly on purpose, try to diminish and almost threaten their opposition team.”
Leading up to the event, European captain Luke Donald revealed that his team would not gain any money from taking part in the Ryder Cup, as they were “fuelled by something money can’t buy.”
He revealed: “[The Ryder Cup] is not about prize money or ranking points. It’s about pride, it's about representing your flag, your shirt and the legacy you leave behind," Donald said during Wednesday's opening ceremony.
"We are fuelled by something money can’t buy - purpose, brotherhood and a responsibility to honour those who came before us, while inspiring those whose time is yet to come."
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All 12 of America’s players will be earning $500,000 each, with $300,000 of that going to a charity of their choice.
US player Colin Morikawa has dismissed the idea that being paid means they are less motivated than their European counterparts.
He clarified: “There's no number. It could be zero. It could be one dollar. There isn't a right or a wrong amount.
Luke Donald has promised that Europe is fuelled by something more then money to win the Ryder Cup
| PA"Look, I think at the end of the day, all 12 of us here playing when we tee it up on Friday, and before this all started, we just want to win the Ryder Cup.
"We want to win it for ourselves. We want to win it for our country."
The Ryder Cup will kick off tomorrow as Europe looks to defend their title in enemy territory when they tee off at Bethpage Black .